March (music) facts for kids

The Band of the Welsh Guards of the British Army play as guardsmen march up the Mall to change the guard at Buckingham Palace

In music a march is a piece of music with a strong marching rhythm. Marches are often written especially so that soldiers can march to them. Other marches may not be intended for marching, but they still have a strong, regular beat so that people could, if they wanted to, march to the music. Marches are usually 2/4 time (One - two - one - two - left - right - left- right) or 4/4 (the same as two bars (measures)) although other time signatures are possible.

Marches can be slow marches or quick marches. A slow march may be a funeral march.

John Philip Sousa was a composer whose marches became extremely popular (e.g. Colonel Bogey's March).